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The last few days since Nightmare Night have been odd, one could say. The defacto leadership of the local rebels, Professor Redmane, is still more or less bedriden. The same goes for the only other pony that's put himself in a leadership position, in large by Solar-Wind having trainied up the small fighting force he leads. Of course, unlike the Professor who got knocked out while under the influence of Will, the big pegasus stallion is in the infirmary is there, if the rumors are true, becaus of Sodium-Fizz introducing his head to one of the tables in her lab.

Looking at Fizzy, perched on the edge of one of the small stools by a table in the cafeteria, one might actualy belive the rumor true. Her head snapping back and forth between sheets of paper, her muzzle plasterd with a manic grin while almost pressed straight on the page, while chewing on one of the curly locks of her mane.

The older mare sure is intense! One must certainly wonder how she'll respond to an all too friendly little nuzzle from behind which is promptly followed by a hug; this will put the kabash on all that attention and focus. Ruby is found - sure she couldn't be found the day before when Fizzy was /looking/ for her, but then again what kinda thief would she be if she were found at other ponie's discretion?

As far as response goes, Sodium-Fizz issuing a loud, startled whinny and jumping in fright only to tumble to the floor whn Ruby's hug keeps her from unfurling her wings isn't a bad one. Her head whip around, dilated pinprick eyes locking onto Ruby. After a moment she relaxes. A friend, no need to try and blow her up. Good!

Ruby-Blossom tries not to giggle - seemingly still taking everything way too lightly; entirely possible the mare is a tad daft. "Hi Fizzy. Have you eaten? Did you want some tea? I think you need to relax, you look totally high-strung." firm squeeze before she lets the other marge go. "I can understand your worry, but everything will be fine!

Sodium-Fizz blinked, the sound of her brain shifting gear almost audiable in the room. "Tea… would be nice, yes?" The gears just keep shifting. One of Fizzy's eyes twitched. Then a hindleg. With a loud sigh the air went out of her, leaving her more or less colapsing on the floor. "Yeah… I hope it will be…" Groaning she lift her forehooves, pressing them against her head.

"Ugh… It must have gone off again…"

Ruby hmms curiously "What went off again?" the mare leaning forward to curiously peer at Fizzy. "Something the matter? Have you not been sleeping? Do I need to send you to bed? Do I need DRAG you to bed?" head cocking the opposite direction. "You better not been straining yourself." An almost motherly tone coming from the younger mare.

Sodium-Fizz sighed as she pulled herself from the floor, more or less flopping onto the bench, a hoof still on her head. "No, no… I don't think I went that over the edge. Even I know I need to sleep, these times… I think I was… plotting." Her muzzle scrunched up in annoyance. "I don't like plotting… Why were I plotting anyway? I… Oh, I guess… it might have been the zombies." The alchemist shuddered.

"At least it doesn't seem to have to been to bad… I mean, I didn't destroy a town, did ?"

Ruby-Blossom gently pats the other mare on the back "Wait here, and no working or plotting until you're fed." the mare provide a quick snug then trotts off the 'kitchen' to retrieve some blue leaves and blue leaf tea - no honey as that was all given to Fizzy the week before. From the kitchen Ruby can hear the rustling and preparation. "Oh! I didn't know we had any of this left." Topping the blue leafs with a pinch of seasoning left from the raid. It's several long minutes before Ruby makes her way back to the Cafeteria.

As Ruby gets she can see Sodium-Fizz siting back up straight by the table, a sheet of paper in her hooves turning this way and that. She looks downright perplexed as she reads it, her muzzle pressed against the paper. She does put it away as she spots Ruby return, giving her a greatful smile. "Thank you, Ruby… I must say, I'm not sure what we would have done without you… Possibly gone crazy a lot sooner, I guess."

Ruby-Blossom slides the tray off the top of her head and onto the table then attempts to snatch the paper away from Fizzy and read it. "No pony is going crazy, at least no crazier than before." Ruby-red eyes glancing sideways at the other mare.

Ruby-Blossom slides the tray off the top of her head and onto the table then attempts to snatch the paper away from Fizzy and read it. "No pony is going crazy, at least no crazier than before." Ruby-red eyes glancing sideways at the other mare. "I'm telling you, everything will be okay. I don't have a shred of faith in Celestia or Luna, and I don't expect Celestia to blaze down from the sky and save us. But I do believe we're stronger than that, and we've got each other. I may be mostly useless, but I'll figure this all out somehow."

Getting the paper isn't that hard, Fizzy doesn't put up a fight about it, merely giving the thing a puzzeled look before reaching for the tea. As she speaks up, Ruby might feel lucky she does so before Sodium-Fizz manages to get the cup to her mouth as it's about the only thing that prevents her from doing a spit-take. The alchemist does settle for giving Ruby an incredelous stare. "…mostly useless? Why'd you go and say -anything- like that?! As for figuring it out… I think… I might have been trying to think of a way to survive for the moment…"

Fizzy leveled a hoof with at the paper. "It's kind of hard to tell, thugh. It's hard for sane me to figure out what crazy me is trying to do."

Ruby-Blossom hmms curiously as she examines the paper oh-so curiously for the longest while - turning it upside down then sideways before putting the sheet back on the table. "Maggie said it the other night. I'm a useless unicorn." she plants her flank. "I mean, I know it's true - but still." Stiffling a small yawn with one hoof. "We just need to hold out a while longer - not much else we can do.

The paper is full of scribbles, the parts that are actualy readable doesn't make much sense, in part because they are out of context. One doesn't make sense by virtue of postulating the exsistance of a material called discrodium and the theoretical uses of it in creating a mutant army. There's even diagrams and calculations for that.

The older mare gave Ruby a gentle smile before unfurling a wing and putting it around her. "I'm never really sure what goes on between you and Magpie… But, chin up, okey? As for holding out, I guess she forgot to mention I was looking for you. I think… and my memory's a bit hazy here… I think I wanted to ask the two of you for ways to tick off our enemies. Both the zombie queen and Nightmare Moon's generals… Tick 'em of, and make it look like the other's behind it. We're definatly the least dangerous group here, that might keep them of our backs for a while… Making the other appear even more dangerous would help those chances."

Ruby-Blossom ahs softly "Well on that subject. I happened to see another general while sneaking into Will's camp the other night." This prompts a glare from the Will-disguised mare. "Did I mention that whole trip was a horrible idea?" But not nearly as horrible as Ruby's idea to go have a friendly chat with Will - that was just plain beyond stupid. "A silent pegasi. They know I can imitate Will - but they haven't seen me imitate 'General Eye?' Assuming she's Moon's Eyes. Sadly i can't fly like a pegasi which make it a little more difficult to convince other ponies I'm her." she ponders this softly. "Zombie disguises might not hurt - but I don't know how much we can do with the horde around, hard to get anywhere.

Sodium-Fizz scowled, seeming rather dissapointed. "Another one…? I was kinda hoping we could tacke a crack at Nightmare's Will at some point… From what Solar tells me, she's bound more than one pony with her stupid magic… Getting rid of her would solve that. Not sure what with another one out there… I could try have a look. Heard that some zebra alchemist have a way to grow bat wings for a while… but not sure what I can do with the resources at hoof. I've been playing with the idea of trying to leave the Nightmare's forces directions to the Hive, trick them into thinking we're retreating there…"

Fizzy turned, flashing Ruby a thin smile. "And of course it was a bad idea! It was my idea, and I do not think straight when it comes to mind control… I'm sorry about that… And… Thank you, for making sure I didn't add another huge mistake to my list…" The older mare wrapped her forelegs around Ruby, giving her a tight hug before pulling back.

Ruby-Blossom chuckles softly "I suppose I didn't mention that I clopped Will real hard in the horn did I? Then blew up like half the camp?" a sheepish addorable grin. "I mean, I thought you guys would of seen the explosion on the horizon." Yes, she did sock Will real hard - sent the mare toppling; sadly not hard enough to take the mare's horn off. "If anything I think she's dislusional as everypony else that serves Nightmare.

Sodium-Fizz chuckled. "Yeah… I did see that particular piece of pyrotechnics… I must say though, as badly laid out as my plan was, yours were a lot worse… What were you -thinking- going to their camp, by yourself?! No to mention going to Nightmare's Will?!" She scowled at Ruby, in that particular angry fashion of a worried, if not outright scared, mother talking with their child.

Solar-Wind practically wanders in staggering a little, as he mumbles inchoerently something or other. Big guy is not awake particularly, barely coherent as he lazily wanders to the cafetera to recieve his daily rations.

Ruby-Blossom pipes in objection. "I was already there - I wanted to check out the new fortifications, and get to know Will a little better. I was hoping there might be some reasoning with her. But I learned they were building mines to keep the base away from the abandoned village, General Eyes joined Will, and I learned alot about her. I mean, sure I had a knife stuck to my throat, and Will came within an inch of totally turning me into her slave - but I mean I'm here, right?

"You are here, yes. And you learnt a lot, yes. But that's besides the point, Ruby-Blossom," came the repply from the still-scowling Sodium-Fizz. "You should not have gotten yourself into that situation to begin with. Not by yourself and without backup anyway. We need you around here, alive. And there's plenty a pony that cares about you, too. Keep that in mind, okey?" She smiled and put her hooves on Ruby's cheeks, pulling her down and putting a soft kiss on her forehead, right about where her insubstantial horn would be. "You are very capable, so I'm not telling you to stop. Just take care and think it through."

With that she turned slightly, waving at the dizzy-looking Solar-Wind.

Solar-Wind blinkblink's and it takes him awhile to fully focus on Fizzy, stoping, staring and slowly recognizing. he kinda smiles and trots over. "Oh, Hi Sodium-Fizz, n' Commander Blossom" he mentions lightly, "sorry, I urr, I didn't notice ya coming in, got a bit of a headache going, a real knock out doozie" he murmurs softly.

Ruby can't help but grin as Fizzy kisses her would-be horn. "I know, I know. I was careful - it's not like they caught me and wrapped me up like a burrito or anything." Actually they did. "I got alot of valueable information - and it was the best time to sneak in; they wouldn't expect it right after running us off." she grins broadly. "Though we should all pray Will doesn't get her hooves on me." She waves at Solar "Hi Solar.

Sodium-Fizz nods before turning back to Solar-Wind. "Hey Solar… Um, sorry about slamming your head in the table, there… You were kind off going all glowy-eyed 'Mistress Nightmare Will' again, and I was kind of out of it too." Her muzzle scrunched up in annoyance. "Stupid dissorder…"

"You mean, give you heartache issues by talking about the mare you fancy that's sitting right next to me this very moment and you just not-so-subtly indicated? Talk about that? I… guess I could have, but as I said. I was out of it too, the whole… zombie… thing pitched me right over the edge…" Sodium-Fizz hummed for a moment. "Actualy, speaking of going over the edge. I think this is the longest I've been all caught up in a episode without actualy managing to do something really crazy. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad one."

Ruby-Blossom suddenly licks Fizzy's cheek - a long moment of silence likely to ensue before Ruby pipes. "IF you do anything crazy - you'd have to answer to me, and you don't want to answer to me." As if entirely oblivious to discussion about /her/.

Solar-Wind says "Us, Ruby, Us" he mentions, "We're accountable to each other, since like we three seem to be the brains in this operation" he grins, "well, you two, I'm just the hired muscle" he mumbles softly, leaning to the side with a hoof to his head, rubbing some, "more or less""

Ruby-Blossom beams addorably "I like to think of you, you, and Windy as my fliers" more than a little affetion in those words - perhaps a little selfish too.

Sodium-Fizzeyes roll and she sighs, wiping her cheek with a pastern. "Great, my science-related memetic dissorder is being keept in check by a muscle-head b-list guard and an adolescent stylist. The Base is surely in safe hooves now…."

Solar-Wind gasps, cough cough cough's at the comment b-list guard, Oh that hurts, really stings him by the looks of thing. He rightly GLARES at Fizz. *sore spot that one is, bigtime sore spot*

Ruby-Blossom turns her chin up at Fizzy. "Truely spoken like a mare in need of a good stallion." she glances sideways at Fizzy then licks her again. "I'll have you know I'll be turning 20 this Winter." Basically she's at the very edge of adolosence - really an adult by all means even if she doesn't act it. "Solar may be B-list, but he's /our/ B-lister.

Solar-Wind stomps a hoof HARD on the ground, yup fizzy ticked him off good there, only other pony that gave him that name was his father, and that didn't go over well for either of them. Snort, Snort, Snort, "I'd never hit a lady" he retorts, leaves his tray at the table and goes to find a wall to beat into submission.

Solar finds a thief on his back - attempting to drag him into submission "Cool your hooves there, mister. She likes you, almost as much as I like you; just can't we can't stand you sometimes doesn't mean we don't love ya."

Sodium-Fizz blinked, then downright shuddered, her muzzle scrunched up in distaste. "A stallion? Really!? No… Just, no. Not after -him-…" Another shudder before she turned towards Solar-Wind, reaching out for him as he turns. Giving Ruby an appologetic smile she rose to her hooves, skiping two steps forward, aided as usual by wing-powered hangtime, tapping him in the flank. "And… sorry, I shouldn't have said that. And sorry if I say anything else too. Now I got -two- of the major bads in my life in my head… It doesn't really put me at ease… And there I'm giving excuses, darnit… I shouldn't have, sorry."

Solar-Wind stops his motion, lucky he's no bronco or thief would be seeing some airtime. He just sighs softly, and trudges, "thats a bad subject just, just don't go there again ok" he mentions softly head still hung low, its a sore spot and he's embarassed about it too.

Ruby-Blossom leans way forward to plant a kiss on Solar-Wind's cheek. "You can tell me about it later, if you want." she hops off his back latches onto Fizzy. "If not a stallion - how about a mare?" she can't help but grin ear to ear while hugging then releasing the other mare.

"Sure, Solar… I just go mean when I'm bothered. I'll avoid it." Fizz smiled and gave him a pat… on the flanks, since thats where her hoof is. Of course, Solar-Wind is not the only pony that finds the need to be embarased as Ruby turns back to her. "I… Yeah, but come on… This is not the place or time to be thinking about romantic relationships," at least not -her- romantic relationships, Sodium-Fizz appended silently. "I mean, hords of bitey, rottey stuff out there. And an army. And Nightmare Moon!"

Solar-Wind settles down a bit at the contact and nods, "Its, Its ok, just don't go there again, it, it really hurts" he gulps and looks back to the both of them then kinda laughs at Ruby's antics, "well in the winter month's is the best time to uhh, ya know" he mentions with a strong blush showing up on his cheeks, "keep warm n' all, thats why there are so many spring foals n stuff" he explains, "Its like umm that uhh, post Vegas vacation sickness that mares get" he kinda laughs some, "ya Know" he just blushes,

Ruby-Blossom hmms curiously at Solar before cheerfully piping. "It's always a good time to think about happy things, Fizzy. Sometimes that's the only we have." she offers a stupid grin to the pair. "We've been through alot, but in the end we have each other, right?

Sodium-Fizz groans, a hoof on her face. "This is going way to many weird places… And what good? It's not like I could just walk up to… lets say Winter… and nudge her suggestively, is it? That it's good I don't have a foal back home waiting for me? Luna knows being drugged out of my mind for three months was bad enough, finding out I'm a mother when I pulled through that would have been…" She shook her head.

"But yeah… at least we get along, for the most part."

Solar-Wind mumbles some, "if you need somebody to keep you warm at night, I, err, I wouldn't mind" he furrows his brow some, "though we'll have to make a new bed, the ones they have here barely fit me" he grumbles some (so that's his bed, the one with the broken frame in several places from him 'streaching out')

Ruby-Blossom leans against Fizzy and laughs warmly and nzuzles her softly. "Don't think about the bad - there's still alot of good to be had. I like you, and you are kind of motherly." she latches onto Fizzy again. "Then again I'm a little attention dear-heart, aren't I?

Sodium-Fizz shot Solar-Wind a dirty stare. "Solar… How many mares do you have your eyes on -now-?! That's Ruby, Miss Evil Captain -and- me?" She sighed and facehoofed, a wing spreading to drape across Ruby's back.

Solar-Wind shrugs, "keeping options open" he comments with a brow shot up looking at her and just strikes a smile, "Its not like that honest, I know you've got somebody back home n stuff, I was just joking round" he grins, then waves to Magpie, "Goodmorning!" he calls out, "Sleep well I hope, well better than not, or well, yeah" he bumbles

Magpie peers at Solar Wind. " 's fine," she says with a shrug. Her mane is kind of a touseled mess, but that's not all that unusual.

Sodium-Fizz shuddered again. "No, Solar… Just no, never ever even if you were the last stallion on the planet." She shook her head, smiling as she spoted Magpie, giving her a wave. "Hello Magpie!"

Magpie grins at a little at Sodium's statement. "Ooh, burned," she comments.

Solar-Wind piffits and shakes his head, "I wouldn't do that, I'm not /that/ kinda guy, You got somebody back home, I wouldn't mess that up, I was just playing along with Ruby's humor" he rolls his eyes and looks to Magpie, and Pbbbbbts at her. Mature, no, funny, probably

The alchemist raised an eyebrow. "I do? That's news to me. I have friends and family back home, you sound like you're talking about my special somepony!" Shaking her head she looked back at Magpie, giving her a grin and a nod. Nice one, big ol' meany Solar-Wind deserved that!

Solar-Wind shrugs, "I thought you said you had somepony who was special back home?" he asks, "dude's probably a wreck since you've been gone so long without even a goodbye"

Solar-Wind pages: you can smack him for that, he deserves it

That earned Solar-Wind a wing to the back of his head and a scowl from Sodium-Fizz, "I have a friend back in the Harbour! Not… not… And a stallion? I don't even like stallions…"

Solar-Wind is right decked and he grunts, for it. He shrinks a bit, "err, umm sory, mybad" he mentions softly now actually sounding a bit meek before her. 'ohcrap ticked off mare, i'm screwed' "s Sorry Fizz, I, err, I didn't mean it like that, that wasn't very nice of me, I err, just got carried away" he sighs softly

Magpie chintaps with a hoof. She looks speculatively at Fizzy. "Ohhhh! /That's/ why you get mad when he's hitting on Ruby!"

Sodium-Fizz seems just about to answer when Magpie speaks, leaving the older mare spluttering loudly and turning to her. "What?! I… what? No! I'm not chasing Ruby's tail! She's seven years younger than I am, for Luna's sake!"

Solar-Wind ponders and nods slowly, "yeah, Magpie, that does make sense now that ya mention it like that" he blinkblinks and then BLUSHES, "What, Wait, you noticed that?!" he gulps some thing fierce and just shakes his head, "i'm that obvious, good grief" he mumbles,

Magpie beams at Fizz. "It's okay," she says consolingly with a gentle hoof on the older mare's shoulder. "Nopony really worries about that sort of thing these days. Who can say no to love when it happens?"

"And… and… And Ruby's more like a little sister than anything else! And that's why I get -annoyed- at this one," Sodium-Fizz jabbed a hoof into Solar's side before turning her baleful stare to Magpie. "As for you, lil' miss Magpie… What's with insinuating this? Arn't you just a tad bit to young for it, eh?" She pounces forward for the filly, a smile on her face.

Magpie giggles and leaps back from the pounce. "Don't deny your love, Miss Fizzy! You'll never be happy if you do!" she teases. "I'll help, I'll tell everypony!" The little filly goes running back into the base!

Solar-Wind Oof's at getting hoof-jabbed, "Hey I look out for her too ya know" he adds, "I look out for all ya'll when ever I have the chance, Heck look at us vs. the queen, without my distraction none of the rest of the group would have been able to escape, I mean, think what that queen would be doing to poor Jellybean right about now?!" He asks with a hrumph, "As for you Fizz, I'm just glad you didn't thrown some firebombs the queen's way. don't know what I would have done."

Sodium-Fizz blinks as she picks herself up from the floor slowly, shaking her head. "Ugh… Right… I guess I belive you on that one, Solar… And yeah, I'm happy I didn't either. That would not have gone over well, wether or not I wound up burning alive or not. Now Solar, please… Can… we not talk about it?" She half-turned, giving him a rueful smile. "I'm pretty certain I have enough on my mind being reminded about my plot-hole ex-husband -and- my science-related disorder, okey? Had it been firebombs… I don't know, I brained you 'cause it was -easy- and quick. And then my disorder had latched on to… I don't know… 'survival', I guess? It could have been really bad… So can I please not have to think about it, please…?"

Giving him a thin smile she turned back down the corridor Magpie escaped down. "So… can I not have to think about it? Can't I just go and play with Magie for a moment, instead?" She chuckles softly for a moment, throwing him another glance before bounding down the corridor, her voice raised and a smile on her muzzle. "Oh no you don't Magpie! Come back or I'll tattle on you!"

There's a distant sing-song from up the corridor of "Fizzy lo~oves Ro~ose, Fizzy lo~oves Ro~ose!" Maggie isn't really trying to flee, though, bouncing on her hooves in a teasing way as Sodium gives chase!

Solar-Wind heh heh heh's softly, "Subject over, I won't mention it again, you know my weakness's n sticking points, I know yours, we'll call it a draw Okay?" he asks softly as he listens to the young mare bounding through the halls, "Rose hmm? so thats it" he laughs some, "Need a few feathers more for some assistance with the liittle scamp?" he asks softly

"Hurry Solar, after the little scamp!" came the laughing reply from Sodium-Fizz as she dissapeared down the corridor. She settles for a relatively sedate pace, seeming more than enough content popping into Magpie's field vision when the filly nears a corner, charging after her in a full galop. "I'll get you, yet! Miss Con Mane!"

Magpie says "You'll never stop me from spreading the word of truth!" calls the scamp, the self-appointed matchmaker."

"You'll never stop me from spreading the word of truth!" calls the scamp, the self-appointed matchmaker. Magpie darts into a storage room and finds a spot to hide!

Solar-Wind streaches his wings out and flexes here and there, "Captain Solar-Wind of the Royal Guard, At Your Service Milady! I'll retrieve that villan!" he calls out, and charges down the hall, jumping into flight, barely, as wingtips touch the sides of the hallway, he glides down and past the storage room, "I'll capture her!

Sodium-Fizz is hot on Solar-Wind's heels. Though winds up blinking and looking around as they reach the intersection. There's no Magpie here. That must mean… She spun around, her stance wide, eyes scanning the corridor behind her. Not there either. "Look out Captain Wind… I belive our feugative have gone to ground!" She called out, loud and clear. "We must find her at all cost, the truth must never find it's way into everypony's hooves!"

Straightening she walked forward. There were no Magpie ahead, no Magpie behind… Doors? Doors. She clip-cloped up to one, resting an ear to it for several long moments listening. "Stay on your hooves, we'll find her!"

Magpie 's being very quiet in one of the storerooms, crouching behind a chalkboard that's leaning against the wall.

Solar-Wind allights at the intersection shouting to a random passerby pony, "seal these doors, make sure none enter" he states boldly as he secures all major exits, "We shall find this scoundrel!" he intones in his 'guard voice' yes indeed he has this voice at his comand. well duh, he is a royal guard afterall. "Milady, Should I stand watch?" he asks as he pretty much becomes a statue at the end of the hallway. He does the best impression of royal guard you've ever seen exept for the color, The armor must do that for the big guy or something, cause besides the armor, and the white color, he'd look just like a big ol' royal guard. "I can see all these doors, there's No escaping the Watch!

"No need…" Sodium-Fizz slid the door open and peered in. Empty, unused. "She's far to clever to be caught by the guard… We have to flush her out!" She pressed her ear to the next door, the voices of a stallion and a mare. Fizz blinked, slowly turning a shade of red even through her incredibly dark coat. "Um… no, not in here… Lets not linger."

Sheepishly she trotted over to the last door, taking a listen for a moment to make sure nothing untoward was going on (and throwing the door she just left a nervous glance in the process). Silent? Silent! Good. Spining around she bucked it open and lept into the dusty storage room. "Aha!"

The dust, he don't say noffin'.

Magpie , crouching in her hiding spot, limns her horn. She pulls together a weapon from the materials around her. Just let that mare find her!

Sodium-Fizz hummed loudly for herself as she looked around the room. Crates of things. Boxes of stuff. Bags of gewgaws. Less sorted things, stuff and gewgaws, all spread across the room. "Well, this place is a mess, isn't it? Solar, you wait outside, I'm going in!"

Chuckling she dove head-first into the room, bounding up on the first of the boxes, her muzzle jamming down behind it. No Magpie. "Ah… I see you have hidden well… Or well, I guess I don't see, that's how I know. Lets see if the power of evil science will come to my aid!" she giggled before turning around, surveying the room. "Hmh… Ah… is that… hoofprints in the dust?"

Magpie 's eyes widen. Oh, horseapples. There's a scuffed trail in the dust that leads behind her favorite hiding place. It's not even hoofprints /really/. It's more like a trail used several times…

"And now.." Sodium-Fizz's hooves sound loudly against the stone floor, cold clip-clops slowly approaching the board and Magpie's hidy-place behind. A scuffling sound, the sound of a vial pulled from Fizzy's cloak. A gulp. A… slow, muddy splash? The sound of the vial bouncing of the floor and rolling away.

Magpie bursts out of her hiding place with a yell, hurling her collected ball of dust bunnies right in the eyes of— Hey! Where'd she go? Maggie starts running towards the door sing-songing, "Fizzy lo~ves Ruby, Fizzy lo~ves— Ruby!" she says in surprise as the mare in question appears at the door.

Suddenly Ruby! The mare staring down at Maggie quietly before giving an tiny little smirk as Maggie all but runs into her. "Teasing Fizzy might not be the brightest of things to do." So says the mare that sneaks into the base of evil villians who want to kill her. "If…" her voice suddenly that of Maggie's "Fizzy lo-~ves Ruby~." voice returning to normal "Then who does Maggie love? Cause it's certainly not useless unicorn Ruby." small smirk - her tone playful enough.

"Bwuh! Mip. Uh! You're not useless!" Maggie finally finds a few words. Then as an afterthought, glancing around quickly, she adds "/Or a unicorn/…."

Solar-Wind goes wide eyed at Suddenly Ruby, he blinkblinkblinks and shakes his head, looks again, Wow, just plain wow, How /does/ she do that?! he thinks to him self, I was staring down this hall in 'Royal Guard Stare' (RGS) mode and everything! The big stallion just jawdrops

Ruby-Blossom waves her hoof dismissively "Seems more ponies know nowadays then don't." she suddenly flops atop of Maggie but in a very gentle manner - attempting to pin the smaller mare while /not/ hugging - cause Maggie doesn't like when Ruby hugs. "I've fallen and i can't get up. Who knows what will happen now~?" clearly intent on impeding Maggie's escape.

Magpie aughs as she's squished under possibly-unicorn-mare. She struggleflails! "Noooo! She's gonna GET me!" she howls.

It's about then that the floor beneath them ripple like thick, disturbed mudd. Moments later a slate-grey hoof shoots up, stone floor pouring of it, followed by another a moment later and both of them coiling around Magpie and Ruby. The owner of the two hooves seems to struggle for a moment before her dusky-purple maned head appears away, grinning at them, then a wing as she pulls herself out of the floor and pulls both of the younger mares into a hug, giving each a nuzzle.

Ruby-Blossom gasps "oh no, she'll get you - and I'm helpless to stop her due to my inability to be awesome enough for you. Whatever will I do?" Nothing is the answer, the mare does nothing other than lie there like a big, dead weight atop of Maggie. Then she's hugged with Maggie squished in-between - like one big happy family, hah!

Solar-Wind jumps into flight, tucking his hooves up against his body, he practically squeaks thinking the zombies have made it into the base! "RUBY, MAGPIE!" He yells as he launches at them kicking off the wall for additional boost barrelling at them both full tilt. Thats kinda scary really, him full speed, indoors like this "Zombieattack, Lookout!" he screeches out

Kludge walks into the area just in time to watch Fizzy finish emerging from the floor. He gives a quizzical look, then shrugs and wanders over…

…just in time to be between Solar-Wind and Sodium-Fizz. Kludge's eyes widen at the imminent collision, and all he can do is wince and brace for impact.

Magpie gets out one strangled cry as the hooves come up from below, and then it's a hug squashing her, and IMPACT!

Magpie goes tumbling.

Solar-Wind squeals, "Ohwaitwhattha?" he tries to airbrake but its waaaay too late for that, the stallion plows into the other stallion pretty much full force

Impact! Collision! Mayhem! Danger! Mares and Stallions flying in every which direction from the powerful impact - there goes Magie tumbling, Kludge and Solar tumbling together; and then there's Fizzy and Ruby. When the dust clears Ruby finds herself sprawled in the most undignified of positions - intertwined with Fizzy; legs all mixed up to the point where it /appears/ like a very intimate embrace; infact Ruby's nose to nose with the other and it's a full 30 seconds before she's able to shake-off the diziness form the impact. This means everypony else has plenty of time to admire the mares 'making-out' even though it's far from the truth.

Magpie shakes her head and wiggles up to her feet. And as she looks around… It's Hearthswarming Morning.

Sodium-Fizz groaned and blinked, that had not gone as planed she was forced to conclude. It had, up to a point. Then it'd gotten… awkard? She blinked again as her pale yellow eyes focused, starting into ruby-red. She squirms, and… No, she's decidedly stuck herself, less she somehow managed to get her wing out from being traped behind one of Ruby's hind legs. Not easy.

Fizzy could feel a blush growing on her cheeks. And with Ruby! She liked her, but not liked-liked her! Sweet Luna, why couldn't this hapen with… say, Winter-Solstice? That mare…

As the dust settles, Kludge slowly pulls his wits together. The first thing he notices is that he's tangled up with somepony. The second thing he notices is that, as a result of the collision, he's liplocked with whomever he's tangled up with. The third thing he realizes, as he groggily opens his eyes, is that said somepony… is Solar-Wind.

After a moment of terror masked with the flat expression of one who is too stunned for facial expression, Kludge pushes Solar's face sideways away from his face, then turns the other direction and says "I need a drink… and a towel to chew on."

Magpie beams. She wobbles over and throws her arms around Fizzy and Ruby's necks. "I'm so /happy/ for you!" she declares. And she beams at Kludge. "And you too!"

Ruby-Blossom manages to pull herself free - glancing over her shoulder at Kludge and Solar smooching it up. "Ahh…" she looks down at Fizzy while pulling her fore leg free behind Fizzy's head. "Guess I'm single again?" she teases before suddenly trotting off, quite embarrassed.

Solar-Wind is firstly completely brained, dazed beyond comprehension, Hmm, not bad, interisting dream, was that tounge in there? then the dawning realizition of 'What the Feathers?' Blinkblink, Oww, and finally, "Oh goodgoddess!" He is still rather pinned down by the other male, which for him has got to be a first, This is akward!

Sodium-Fizz blinked confusedly, wraping a foreleg around Magpie and giving her a hug. She can't help but to giggle though. "I…" She coughed, darn rock… "I told you, not like that… Those two though, hehe… I give you a potion of choice if you chant Solar-Wind likes Kludge, okey?" A mischevious grin spreads as she look at Magpie.

Magpie beams widely. She salutes, and runs off to spread the word!

Kludge disentangles himself from Solar, just in time to watch Ruby trot off. He did catch the teasing tone of her voice, so he's not too worried about her misinterpreting things. He looks at the scampering Magpie with a "you have GOT to be kidding me" expression on his face, then looks at Fizzy with an expression composed of equal parts annoyance and resignation. "Excuse me, I need to go rinse my mouth out. Or chew on sawdust; that might work as well," he says before stepping around the alchemist. At least now he has an idea for how to test the crossbows against a moving target.

Sodium-Fizz laughs and grins, rolling onto her hooves and shaking her head. "To be fair, I have no doubt you'd do the same thing in my place! And, well, I'd done the absolutely same thing in your place. I think I might have some disinfectant stashed away in my lab if you want, small yellow bottle. Looks a bit like a lemon, actualy."

Solar-Wind is just spralled there still looking at the ceiling, jaw slack just still in shock denial and disbelief. "Can see why you're good with the mares" he comments sheepishly, and just shudders, and flexes his wings some this way and that, as he lay atop them spread eagle more or less. He gets up slowly and shakes himself out. The big pegasus has a lean to him again a bit off balance it seems.

Solar glances over to fizzy "Whatever you did, don't do that again or at least warn me, cause that scared the living daylights out of me" he comments to her. "looked like that zombie nightmare we faced the other night, really had me going!

Kludge pauses, his brow wrinkled with consternation. "It's not like I've had much experience," he quietly mutters in response to Solar's comment. Glancing at Fizzy, he inquires "Are there any problems with having the disinfectant in one's mouth?"

"These ones? Not so much… um… as long as you're quick about it, a'right? Don't want Ruby to have to figure out which hole in your face to kiss, do we?" Chuckling Sodium-Fizz walked over, offering a helping hoof to Solar-Wind. "And well… I just had to try it. The Stonefish Elixir is a success! Well, mostly. A bit hard to breath underground, you know."

Solar-Wind hrumphs some, "and my breath was Minty fresh and everything, or whatever passes for minty fresh here" he grumbles a little and shrugs as he is assisted to a more verticle position, right, upright that works again. He does hold a hoof to his head though and gives a little shake, "ohboy here we go" he chuffs out softly.

Kludge blinks a bit. "I think I'll stick with the sawdust," he carefully remarks. "I at least know that won't cause any problems with my face." He does blush slightly at the thought of having the time to kiss Ruby.

Sodium-Fizz smiles, almost teasingly. "You just have to be quick about it, Kludge!" With a giggle she fell in besides him, trodding through the corridors. "Speaking of sawdust, though… A thought struck me when I was out insane. Crossb-… Actualy, hold on, I think I've suggested that one… What was it… Oh, right! Pykrete! It might be work looking into making pykrete reinforcements! Maybe even armor!"

Kludge blinks for a moment, then cracks open a smile. "Yeah, I've heard of that stuff - generally requires more cold that what's usually available, but that's not exactly a limitation here, is it?" He ponders for a moment. "The reinforcements would be the easy part - use it as filling around the structural braces, and as armoring for the walls."

Something drowsy this way comes. It's Winter Solstice, and with her hair pushed up on one side and her eyes sort of bleary, it's not hard to guess what she's been up to. Especially considering she's wandering in from the makeshift dormitory set up in the labs. And stifling a big yawn. The big mare doesn't sleep much, but when she does, she sleeps deeper than the deepest deep thing, and seems to still be crawling out of said deep thing as she stumbles over to the door to the outside and slumps down in front of it. Only then does she blinks tiredly and peer around, noticing People, and her face brightens up almost immediately. "… hey!"

Solar-Wind waves to Winny as he approaches and leans a shoulder to hers, "you look, less than awake" he murmurs with a little laugh as he smiles over at her, "You ok?" he asks with some concern in his voice. like he can ask about ponies being Ok, he was practically knocked senseless by some poor stallion, or something like that

Sodium-Fizz grins widely. "Well then, there you go! I guess my bout of crazy might just be useful then. I have a feeling we'll need all the extra protection we can get if we attack… When we get attacked." The alchemist pulled a face, though gave Winter-Solstice a nod. "Hello Winny."

Fizzy's brain doesn't quite seem ready to pass everything over just yet, dredging up the last few thoughts before managing to get out from under Ruby. She could only hope her dark coat would cover up the blushing.

Kludge thinks back to some of the ideas he had discussed with Ruby, and his eyes widen with a flash of inspiration. "Pykrete igloos!" he cheerfully declares. "Extra armor, but still reasonable weight!" He looks around, then with a mischievous grin adds "Probably with some extra padding on the inside, so whichever ponies find themselves in there can stay… /comfortable/."

Solar-Wind tips his head and looks over to Kludge, "can these be employed perhaps out on the iceflats, like the 'ocean' here

Winter-Solstice says "Hey,"" says Winter in response to Sodium, rubbing at her eyes with the back of a hoof. She doesn't say much after that, just sort of staring at the floor, listening in a vaguely comprehending fashion. Something about… igloos? "Igloos are nice. I was in an igloo once. Then it collapsed since it turns out I'm really bad at building them and also they're not actually very nice for making bonfires in. Probably a good thing, though. All that smoke was makin my lungs itchy. I can't imagine it'd have been any better if I'd put a stupid hole in the top like they said I had to. Sheesh, can you imagine?" She's staring at the floor as she says this, suggesting she is talking to herself as much as anyone else. Which, to be fair, she often is."

Solar-Wind pokes Winter gently in the side, "Winter, are you feeling OK?" Solar-Wind asks of her looking to her just kinda mope around some and the whole staring at the floor thing, this is not the energetic go-get-em pony he knows, whats up with her. He's still standing more or less beside her. Solar is slipping into his EMT mode, going clinical more or less.

Sodium-Fizz chuckles softly. "Well, that's the beauty of pykrete. I saw it first time in Canterlot, for some kind of science fair, years back. Two singing unicorn stallions trying to sell wagons of the stuff. In summer, in broad daylight. These things barely melt at all. Why I remember it. And… I think Kludge would do a bit of a better job building an igloo. No offence." She chuckled softly. "And… yeah, it floats too. Not quite as well as ice, but it still floats."

Kludge pulls out some paper and pencils and starts working on more design sketches for mobile igloos, the smile on his face from being able to craft something like this masking the mild disappointment of ponies not catching what he had tried to insinuate with the padding comment.

Winter-Solstice stirs at the poke and sits up briefly, rattling her hooves around on the floor. "Hnf! Yeah, I'm fine. Just woke up, that's all. I had a dream… about being asleep. And in my dream sleep I dreamt about being awake for so long I was really, really tired." Reaching up, she tries to tame her mane a bit, but seeing as she has giant clumsy earth pony hooves of justice, and no mirror, and no practical experience doing fabulous things with hair, and a mane that is generally given to saying 'lol style' any day of the week, her results are predictably terrible. "I wish we had coffee. Hey, Soda? Can you whip up some coffee with your mad science? I'm sure you can find some kinda coffee bean equivalent if you pop open enough zombies."

Solar-Wind smiles and nods, "besides the coffee problem Winter, just let me know if you ever feel off, or if you're not feeling good" he notes still in a clinical but seriously caring mode. "We can't afford you feeling ill or under the weather" he smiles giving a loose pat on her shoulder.

The alchemist goes dead rigid at the words 'mad science' and gives Winter a smoldering glare. Of anger. "I don't do mad science, darn it! I just managed to stop thinking about it! Thanks to you I have to go and distract myself, again! It's a condition! I can't help it if I go perculiar! I never wanted to be a mad scientist! I -hate- mad science!" Each loud, shouty sentance brings Sodium-Fizz one step closer to the large mare. In fact so close the last sentance is practicaly shouted into her ear, leaving her panting, wings flared.

All the shouting does, however, blow Winter's mane into a resonable style.

Kludge looks up for a moment, glances around, then resumes work on the designs. Now, if you add a strut there, and layer the pykrete armor just so…

As Sodium's tirade plays out, Winter's eyes gradually widen, the big mare sitting up and rearing back a bit. She doesn't look intimidated, but she certainly looks surprised, such that as Sodium finishes up, Winter is left with her butt up against the door, sitting up on her haunches with her forelegs sort of danging in front of her chest. She holds that position for a few moments before reaching up to mess with her mane again, fixing its brief and unacceptable bout of looking-goodishness. "… oh, okay. Sorry to have asked. I don't really know where the mad science ends and the sane science starts, I guess. They didn't teach that in, uh, in uh, the school." She drops her front hooves back down and stares at Sodium for several moments, expression openly inquisitive. "… are YOU okay?"

Solar-Wind kinda steps forward as if to help defend Winter incase Fizzy blows up further at her, "Sodium-Fizz , come on get ahold of yourself please!?" he asks as he puts a wing over winny, and holds one hoof up as if to stop her.

"Sorry… I just… get annoyed," said Fizz with a sight. "I suffer from a condition know as science-related memetic dissorder which… is more or less mad science. Makes me latch on to ideas or goals and makes me go a bit… nuts in trying to achieve it. I usualy try -not- to be crazy but it can be tricky, and I hate being reminded off it… much becaus 'getting everypony to shut up about mad science' being a possible trigger for it as easily as anything else. Last time that happened I wound up muting a whole town. They had to dig a new well…" Sodium-Fizz pulled a face and sighed.

After a moment she reached up, flicking a stand of Winter's mane a different direction. "…that looks better."

Winter-Solstice peers down at Solar's wing, and then across it as she watches Sodium explain her situation. After the mane-fixing, Winter crosses her eyes and looks up at it, not that she can see much of it from such a position. "Thanks," she says. She blinks back at Sodium, looking a little bewildered, but not TOTALLY lost. "I had, like… like no idea that was even a thing, that you could have. I mean i read a story once about how…" She waves her hooves around in front of her. "Like lots of stories where the villain was all, was all, ma- uhh…" Her voice trails off and she glances at Sodium- again, not fearfully, but in the manner of someone expecting possibly for there to maybe be loud noises and wanting to be in ahead of the game in such a case. "… anyway there was science of questionable moral value going on. I guess I didn't think that, that, that that was something that actually happens and it happens not because of evil but because of the, er, of a condition. Now I feel kind of bad. Like all those stories were built on a bad stereotype. Like they were making fun of conditions that actual ponies have. So, um, I'm sorry." She tilts her head and stares across the room for a moment. "Though seriously if you can find a way to whip up coffee that'd be super keen."

Solar-Wind retracts his wing, it was an attempt at reassurance an idea of a shield, the concept that he'd protect her if he had to was implied, even if she well could do so herself. Its just him, he is protective of friends, all of them. He exhales having pretty much held his breath since Fizz started her explaination. He looks down some, and nods a little to her explaination he really hadn't known the brunt of it either, so its out in the open now. He mumbles a soft aplogy or something, and stands up again.

Sodium-Fizz smiled thinly. "Don't worry about it… I'm not really sure to be honest… From what I've been told the condition's been around for ages… and might very well have spawned… um, dernaged scinetists… in fiction. Of course, it never became a officialy recogniced thing until recently, defined out of the comic books. Kinda funny, seen like that. And, I'm not suprised you have no idea, I think there's like fourty-seven registered cases in Equestria right now…" She pauses for a moment. "But I swear that Twilight Sparkle girl is one too, from the stories I've heard."

"And… I can do coffee! I think. I'll have to get back to you on that."

"Never heard of her," says Winter, scratching behind her head. "But I'll keep an eye out and try and be respectfully not-judgmental about any wacky experiments she's doing anyway." She settles down, then, and slouches back against the closed door, stifling another yawn. "This place is messin' with my sleep schedule. I'm not even sure I remember what order the days go in anymore. Nobody got outside while I was snoozing, did they?"

Solar-Wind head shakes some at her asking if anyone had made it outside. "Sparkle, registered, yes" he intones, "Oh she is registered, also she's not suposed to injest alcoholic beverages due to unicorn magic issues" he notes as if reading from a report or something. The big guy sighs some, "well everyone, I'm going on patrol or something, need a bit of fresh air" he mentions quietly as he bows a little to each and everyone.

Sodium-Fizz blinks, "Huh… I'd never have guessed…" With that she shrugged, her wings unfurling for a moment. "And… yeah, things get weird, when it comes to time here… Don't you think?" She glanced at Kludge.

Winter-Solstice eyes Solar for a brief, suspicious moment, then apparently decides he looks sturdy enough to let go. That and if she tried to stop him they'd get into a big tiff over who is more protective of who. She moves to unlatch and haul the door open. "Be careful."

Kludge shrugs. "I'll worry about when everything is once we're back in a place where it actually matters," he points out. "Until then, as long as we're well-rested, does it matter?"

Solar-Wind bows to Winny and pulls on his thermal gear unclipping his wing notches, and untucking his wings "I won't go far" he mentions to Whinny, "just need a stretch of the wings and a bit of airtime, I'll be fine" he mentions giving her a pat on the shoulder before he trots up the tunnel towards the entry

Winter-Solstice keeps the door open just as much as she needs to, just as long as she needs to, and swings it shut the moment she can afford to without catching Solar's tail. It's not that she's eager to get rid of him, it's just that… you know. Cold. And zombies. She thumps the locks and latches back into place and then resumes her seated position near them. "Glad I don't have wings to stretch. I need to stretch, all i have to do is this." She stands up straight and sticks a leg out, then another. "Ho ho!" She drops those two legs and stretches out a third. "Ha! Battle stretch power. No flying necessary. You pegasi got the short end of the stick, Fizz."

Sodium-Fizz blinks and promptly looks somewhere else. Bad brain! "I… I guess it wind up depending on pegasus. I mean, unlike him I don't do much flying… I'm off the opinion that the outdoors can be a nice place to visit at times, but I wouldn't want to live there." She shoot a glance at the door.

"I wounder if he's going to find their Shadowbolts captain out there…"

"At least he's one of the ponies that I consider able to fight long enough to get to safety," points out Kludge. "Of course, if he get hospitalized again, well…"

"Really?" asks Winter. "'Cause if I had the short end of the stick I'd be wavin' it all over and flyin' all over the place. Seriously. I flew once, except that was just when Windrose dropped me onto a burning boat. So it was actually falling, and not flying at all. But it was pretty rad." She quiets, following Fizz's gaze. "Yeah? That doesn't sound very safe. We both told him to be careful and if he's gonna go out and do something that is explicitly not careful at all, then I think that sort of, that doesn't really speak very well to our capacity as leader-types." She quiets again as she considers, looking at Kludge. Sitting up, she points a hoof commandingly. "Kludge! Do a cartwheel!"

Kludge gives Winny a bemused look, then grins. "Give me a few moments," he remarks before trotting into another room.

"Are you kidding me? Have you meet him? He's as bad as Ruby, seriously." Sodium-Fizz pouted. "Of the ones of us that tries to be proactive, I feel like I'm the only one that's sane… and I'm not. Half of the time it feels like those two are out to get themselves killed just to prove a point, if nothing else. Sure, I beat myself up just as much as they do… but I'm not suicidal. Most of the time," her muzzle scrunches up, "throwing a vial in Nightmare Moon's face certainly seems suicidal."

Winter-Solstice watches Kludge go. "Yeah… yeah, not much of a leader. Oh well," she says, with a shrug and a smile. She turns back to face Fizz, slouching back against the door as she does so. "Well, I don't know. Suicidal would be not doing ANYTHING that night. It's pretty sensible to try and do everything you can to stop her from, like, like smashing you in the face and stuff. Frankly I'm surprised more if that didn't happen. That was a pretty neat trick with the goo, though, except for the whole it didn't work part, but nothing really worked anyway, so that's not really that big a deal."

Sodium-Fizz noded, slumping against the door herself. "True enough… In brute force, the only thing I think that could deal with the Nightmare would be the zombie filly, the one with the horde. Maybe." She sat silent, then smiled. "It was impressive though, what you did with the big ice chunk… Actualy, you keep on doing amazing, brave stuff. How?"
"Evil Snowfield," muses Winter, when Sodium brings up the zombie filly. She squints thoughtfully, but blinks her eyes open when the subject of bravery is brought up. She looks honestly confused for a moment, then shrugs. "I don't know. I just do it. Someone has to do the brave stuff, and it might as well be me, seeing as I can probably take it alot easier than anybody else." She reaches up and knocks a hoof on her head, thunk thunk thunk. "And I guess it's kind of… kind of like a… like a compulsion? Well not really, that suggests it's like something I can't control? But it's like when I see something that is probably not very safe there's something in my head that says 'Hey, look at that, you should go up there and be in that.'" She makes a face even before she finishes the sentence. "Well, that's not it, otherwise I'd be sticking my hooves in machinery and fires and stuff and I don't do that. Okay, so, it's more like, like a… a…" At this point she descends into useless gesturing that explains nothing. "Uh…"

Kludge comes trotting back, some sawdust on his hooves (and a bit around his mouth). He walks over to Winny with a grin. "As per your request," he announces as he formally presents Winny with…

…a cart wheel.

"Evil Snowfield, huh…? I'd be suprised, but… At least it's not an evil you. Or and evil me. I'd hate having to deal with that." Sodium-Fizz ran a hoof through her mane, glancing at Winter-Solstice. "And… I'd take a gander at what it is, Winter. You're just a plain good pony. You," Fizz reached out with a hoof, taping the big white mare in the chest, "can't stand seeing things be wrong, and you know you can fix it. You're a very, very good pony."

Sodium-Fizz smiled as she picked herself of the floor, her tail flicking to brush her backside clean. "I'm going to tell you what I tell everypony. Just be careful, okey? We could never do without you, and we care about you." A slate-grey hoof came up and hung in the air for a moment, hesitantly. Glancing at at Winter she turned, placing a soft kiss on her cheek before setting of in the direction of the sleeping quarters hurriedly. "Good night Winter. Kludge."

Winter-Solstice reaches up and brushes at her chest where she was poked. "Huh?" she says. "Good? Well, yeah, I, uh-" She watches Soda with wide eyes that only widen further at that unexpected kiss. "Huh?" Fizz is retreating quickly, and Winter watches her go, waving a hoof after her. "Bye? Goodnight?" Post-wave she reaches up to clap a hoof over her cheek and turns to look at Kludge. For lack of anything better to say, she blinks and flashes him a bright grin. "Er, that is a very nice wheel. When we get back home you should put it on a ship. So it can be like a wheel. For steering it. The ship, that is." Slouching back against the door once more, she boggles at the far end of the room, and reaches up to rub her cheek again. "This world is weird."